Loading schedule...

Bradley Mayhew is on a mission: he's following the Silk Road on the tracks of its most well-known voyager, the medieval traveler and writer Marco Polo. Mayhew is a British travel writer who pens guidebooks for Lonely Planet, and in this four-part series he covers the ancient trade route's entire length, from
Venice to Beijing.

Travel writer Bradley Mayhew sets off on a journey from Venice to Beijing, retracing the Silk Road on the tracks of its well-known traveller Marco Polo. (1 of 4)

Through Iran

Bradley reaches Iran and makes a stop at a carpet shop in Tabriz. In Tehran, he gets an inside look at the underground young urban music scene. He then travels to Yazd, where he looks for the last remaining fire worshippers. (2 of 4)

From Afghanistan to China

As Bradley reaches Afghanistan, there lies no easy terrain. Outside Masar-e-Sharif, he visits the ancient city Balkh. He then gets an airlift to Badakhshan, where he goes in search of the lapis lazuli mines. (3 of 4)

Through China

Travel writer Bradley Mayhew travels along the ancient Silk Road in the province of Gansu. He then follows the Grand Canal in China, from the Imperial City of Beijing to his final destination - Hangzhou. (4 of 4)